I understood that I’m always and at any given opportunity

in the right place at the right time.

And I understood that all that happens is right –

from then on I could be calm.

Today I know: It’s called 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗦𝗧.

When I started loving myself

I understood how much it can offend somebody

When I tried to force my desires on this person,

even though I knew the time is not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though this person was me.

Today I know: It’s called 𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗚𝗢

When I started loving myself

I could recognize that emotional pain and grief

are just warnings for me to not live against my own truth.

Today I know: It’s called 𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗚.

When I started loving myself

I stopped longing for another life

and could see that everything around me was a request to grow.

Today I know: It’s called 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗬.

When I started loving myself

I stopped depriving myself of my free time

and stopped sketching further magnificent projects for the future.

Today I only do what’s fun and joy for me,

what I love and what makes my heart laugh,

in my own way and in my tempo.

Today I know: it’s called 𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗬.

When I started loving myself

I escaped from all that wasn’t healthy for me,

from dishes, people, things, situations

and from everything pulling me down and away from myself.

In the beginning, I called it the “healthy egoism”,

but today I know: it’s called 𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗙-𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘.

When I started loving myself

I stopped wanting to be always right

thus I’ve been less wrong.

Today I’ve recognized: it’s called 𝗛𝗨𝗠𝗕𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦.

When I started loving myself

I refused to live further in the past

and worry about my future.

Now I live only at this moment where EVERYTHING takes place,

like this I live every day and I call it 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗖𝗜𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦.

When I started loving myself

I recognized, that my thinking

can make me miserable and sick.

When I requested for my heart forces,

my mind got an important partner.

Today I call this connection 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗪𝗜𝗦𝗗𝗢𝗠.

We do not need to fear further discussions,

conflicts and problems with ourselves and others

since even stars sometimes bang on each other

and create new worlds.

Today I know: 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗦 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘!

*This poem is claimed over the web as one that was written by Charlie Chaplin, "When I started loving myself” written on his 70th birthday on April 16, 1959. A caring reader of my blog, Patricia LaHay, brought to my attention that this was debunked by Snopes, claiming that this poem is an English translation of a Portuguese translation of an English language book written by Kim and Alison McMillen in 2001 entitled “When I Loved Myself Enough.” 

No matter the source, this poem is a great reminder for self-love.

May we all love ourselves so we can love others too ❤

Much Love and Gratitude,

Michelle Guelfand